Cooking with Vera

Ingredients

• 8-10 cups vegetable, chicken or beef stock
• 8-10 medium beets, peeled and cut into thin strips
• 4 large carrots, cut into thin strips
• 2 potatoes, peeled and diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into thin strips
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper , to taste
• 2 cups of shredded cabbage
• 1 freshly squeezed lemon
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of dried thyme

Directions

1. In a large stock pot, heat extra virgin olive oil and sauté diced onion until translucent.  Add red beets, parsley roots, carrots, celery and potatoes and sauté for 5-7 minutes.
2. Place garlic in stock pot and stir until well incorporated.  Add dried thyme, kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste and cook for another 2 minutes.
3. Add stock, bring to a boil and immediately reduce heat to low.  Cook gently until the beets are barely done.
4. Add shredded cabbage and cook until it is tender, but not overcooked.  All the vegetables should retain some crispness.
5. At the end of the cooking process, add lemon juice with discretion (soup should be mildly tart but not sour).
6. Adjust seasonings to taste.  If desired, garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream.  Borscht can be served hot or at room temperature and is better the day after it’s made.

Ingredients

Directions

Set the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the steak on a board and pat it dry with paper towels.  Sprinkle the steak with salt and then press the black pepper evenly on both sides.  Allow to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter and the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat until the butter.  Place the steak in the pan and saute it on both sides until seared (nicely browned).  Place the steak onto a cookie cooling rack that fits inside of a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil.

In the oven, cook the steak for 4-5 minutes or until internal temperature reads 135 degrees F, for medium rare, 6-7 minutes or until temp reads 155 – 160 degrees F for medium (use a an instant read or digital thermometer).  Remove the steak to a serving platter and tent with aluminum foil.

Meanwhile, pour all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the saute pan.  Add the shallots and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes.  Add the beef stock and cook over medium-high heat for 4 to 6 minutes, until reduced by half, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add the Cognac and cook for 2 more minutes.  Off the heat, swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Serve the steaks sliced crosswise, hot with the sauce poured on top.

Ingredients

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1 egg white

1 tablespoon water

1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat the oven or toaster oven to 300°F.  Line a baking sheet with foil sprayed with cooking spray.

Add the sugar, rosemary, salt and cayenne to a resealable plastic bag.  Seal the bag and shake it well to combine it all.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg white and water until the mixture is slightly foamy.  Add in the pecans and toss to coat them well.  With a slotted spoon, transfer the pecans to the bag with the sugar mixture.  Seal the bag and shake it well to coat all of the pecans.

Transfer the coated pecans to the prepared baking sheet and bake them for 30 minutes, giving them a stir with a fork after about 15 minutes.  Set them aside to cool.

Ingredients

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Rub the tops with olive oil and season with the salt and pepper.   Place the racks in a skillet fat side down.  Sear the racks on until well browned on all sides.

Meanwhile, place the parsley and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and process until they’re both finely minced. Add the bread crumbs and lemon zest and process for a second until combined.  Drizzle with the melted butter and pulse until mixed.

Once cool to the touch, paint the Dijon mustard on the fat side of the racks and press the parsley mixture on top.  Place racks on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil and roast for 25-30 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 135 degrees for medium rare.  If the crust starts to brown, lightly cover it with tin foil to prevent any further browning.

Take the lamb out of the oven and tent with aluminum foil.  Allow it to rest for 15 minutes, cut in double chops, and serve.

You can substitute an equal amount of lean ground beef for the turkey. Other types of beans, such as black or kidney beans, can be used instead of pinto beans.

Prep: 30 minutes  Total: 1 hour 30 minutes Serves 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground (7 % fat) turkey

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups chopped onions (1 large)

1 medium fresh jalapeno, minced

1/2 tbsp. chili powder (to taste)

1 1/2 tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon unsulfured molasses

kosher salt, to taste

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Directions

1. Heat a Dutch oven (or other heavy 5-quart pot) over medium-high heat , add olive oil. Add turkey. Cook, stirring and breaking up meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes.

2. Add onion, garlic, and jalapenos; cook until soft, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder, cocoa powder, and cumin; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute.

3. Stir in tomatoes along with the puree. Add molasses, 1/2 cup stock, and 2 teaspoons salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer; cook, partially covered, 30 minutes.

4. Add beans; continue cooking, uncovered, until meat and beans are very tender, and chili is thick, about 30 minutes more. Serve with desired toppings.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup instant polenta
• 2 cups of chicken stock
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ stick butter
• 3/4 cup mascarpone and grated parmigiano-reggiano
• 1/4 pound pancetta, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 (14-ounces) can diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 ½ pounds cleaned large shrimp
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Whisk together stock, polenta, and salt in a heavy medium saucepan, then bring to a boil.  Simmer, uncovered, stirring constantly until smooth and creamy, about 10 minutes.   If mixture starts to tighten and get dry, add more stock (up to 1/2 cup).

Remove from heat and stir in butter.  Stir cheese into polenta until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook pancetta, garlic, and red pepper flakes in 2 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, until garlic is pale golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juice and simmer until liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup, 6 to 8 minutes. Add shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt.

Spoon polenta into shallow bowls and top with shrimp mixture. Drizzle with remaining tablespoon oil, season with pepper, and sprinkle with parsley.

Ingredients

 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

1 tbsp. white wine vinegar or lemon juice

2 large garlic cloves, peeled

5 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

5 tbsp. canola oil

Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper

1 tbsp. water

Directions

 Place egg yolk, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper to taste in a food processor and blend together.

With motor running, very slowly add olive oil and then canola oil in a slow steady stream until sauce is thick and smooth.  Alternatively, use a bowl and whisk to mix the ingredients together.

Serve the aioli in a small bowl in which to serve with your main dish.

Serves 6-8as part of a tapas meal.

Ingredients

1 pound carrots, peeled

1 pound parsnips, peeled

1 large sweet potato, peeled

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper

1/4 c. finely chopped fresh chives

1- 1½ c. lump crab meat

4 c. chicken stock, preferably low sodium

Crème Fraiche

1 small butternut squashes (about 2 pounds), peeled & seeded

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, and butternut squash in 1 to 1 1/4-inch cubes. All the vegetables will shrink while baking, so don’t cut them too small.

In a bowl, drizzle the vegetables with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss well.  Place all the cut vegetables in a single layer on 2 cookie sheets.  Roast for 25 to 35 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender, turning once with a spatula.

In a large saucepan, heat 4 cups of chicken stock.  Finely puree the roasted winter vegetables and the chicken stock in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade (or use a handheld blender).

Pour the soup back into the pot, thin with more chicken stock as needed and reheat.  Season with salt and pepper and pour the root vegetable soup into a shooter glass half way up.  Add a small chunk of small lump of crab meat, and then add a bit more of the soup.  Top each shooter with a tiny bit of crème fraiche and chopped chives.

Serves 6-8 in soup bowls.

Serves 40-50 shooters.

Ingredients

12 thin slices prosciutto di Parma

12 grissini

Directions

Wrap a slice of prosciutto around upper portion of each breadstick at an angle, slightly overlapping.

Serves 6.

Ingredients

1 quart pomegranate juice

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

3/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 lb. large shrimp, peeled & deveined, w/tails

4 cups (4 oz.) baby arugula

Directions

In a pot over high heat, stir together pomegranate juice, sugar and lemon juice until sugar dissolves. Boil until liquid thickens and is reduced to 1 cup, about 45 min.

Meanwhile, toss shrimp with cumin, coriander, cinnamon, salt and olive oil and stir to coat.

In a bowl, toss arugula with extra lemon juice and olive oil if desired. Place on a platter.

Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Add shrimp and cook 2 min per side until pink and opaque; place on top of arugula. Pour sauce in a small dish for dipping.

Makes 10 servings, or 4 servings for main course.